Fifty Years Later: Mustangs On The Road

The Ford Mustang sporty car went on sale in America on April 17, 1964.

It was debuted at the New York World’s Fair, even assembled on the Empire State Building’s observation deck.

Dennis Slack of Scranton was there. He was 16-years-old.

“I loved the car from the start, when I first sat in the car at the World’s Fair, and I mean I treasured it. I let it sit in the garage without even driving it,” said Slack.

For $3,200, Slack’s parents bought the Mustang convertible for him as a graduation present in 1964.

Fifty years later, he still has that car, but it is in the shop now.

It was damaged when the roof of his garage collapsed this winter.

He hopes to have it back in a month.

“When I was a teenager, I shouldn’t be saying this, but when I was a teenager you used to be able to race and you used to race on Adams Avenue all the way from the armory, and I was blowing off 283 Chevys, 327’s. The car has a lot of power,” he added.

Along Washington Avenue in Scranton, a 1966 Mustang is for sale, and it is drawing attention.

“They don’t make cars like they used to anymore,” said Sam Dixon of Jermyn, who admired the car.

In Luzerne County, Tom Pavlick has a 1965 Mustang, he and his father spent more than a year restoring.

He, too, loves driving a Mustang.

“When I found it, it was kind of like the Flinstone-mobile, you could put your feet through the floorboards and stuff, and it deserved something better than that,” said Pavlick.

For the 50 year anniversary of the American classic, the Mustang was once again displayed atop the Empire State Building.

“At the time that it came out, it was a car that everyone fell in love with. It just brings back memories, happy memories,” said Slack.